Run Away With Me
by Camberleigh Fauconbridge
Summary: AU. "What do think about just... running away?" Judas/Mary.


**Title**: _Run Away With Me_

**Author**: Camberleigh Fauconbridge

**Rating**: PG - 13 / T

**Pairings**: Judas/Mary

**Summary**: AU. "What do you think about just… running away?" Judas/Mary.

**Disclaimer**: _Jesus Christ Superstar_ is the property of Andrew Lloyd Webber, Tim Rice, all of the casts and all of the creative teams that have produced any production of _Jesus Christ Superstar_. No money is being made off this story, and no copyright infringement is intended

**Author's Note**: So this came about from listening to Josh Young's fantastic cover of "Run Away With Me". It's weird, at least in my head: I'm so used to hearing him in Judas-mindset that it's strange to hear him sound like he actually cares. And so I began wondering: could Judas ever care? Like, _really_ care? What work would I have to do as a writer to create a developed-enough character arc for Judas to go from cynical and bitter to someone who cares?

Can it be done at all? We'll see. I'm predicting this will be long, although I don't know the exact length right now. At the moment it's a vague idea at best.

Note: this occurs during an inferred reading of Matthew 10:1-8 (NIV).

oOo

_Chapter One_

oOo

There are certain moments in life, when something happens that turns out to extremely important in hindsight. Judas thought the moment had been when he first met Jesus and started following Him, and it was, really; no one could meet Him and not be affected for the rest of his or her life.

But things truly began to change when he was attacked by a demon-possessed girl.

Following Jesus' instructions, Judas went with Peter into Nazareth. It was a strange but wonderful feeling to be able to heal the poor; if they weren't able to improve the poor's living situations, at least they could make certain that the poor wouldn't die of an untreatable disease or injury. Some— not all, but some— believed in Jesus' message once they had been healed, and it was wonderful to see the peace that would settle in each new believer's eyes.

Judas and Peter had reached the outskirts of Nazareth and were discussing heading back to meet Jesus when Peter suddenly looked behind Judas' shoulder, his face rapidly paling.

"What is it?"

Judas turned to see what Peter was looking at, and saw a girl coming towards them. She was staggering and weaving from side to side as she came closer, but as she approached almost at a run she seemed to be dragged herself away at the same time. Immediately, the hair on the back of Judas' neck stood up.

"What's… wrong with her?" he asked Peter.

Peter took a moment to respond. "I think she's…"

"She's what?"

Peter coughed, hoarsely. "She's… demon possessed."

Now Judas knew why the hair on the back of his neck stood up, but the knowledge of it didn't make the situation better; if anything, it worsened tenfold. They watched the girl come closer. "I've never— exorcised a demon out of someone before," he admitted.

"Neither have I."

The girl was coming up the hill where Judas and Peter stood. "Wonderful."

The girl reached the top of the hill, but before either Judas or Peter could do anything, she collapsed in front of them. Judas moved forward to help her to her feet, but Peter stopped him. "I don't think either of us should touch her right now." Judas stepped back, grateful, and watched as Peter addressed the girl— or, rather, the demon inside of the girl. "What is your name?" he commanded.

The girl sounded as though she were about to vomit, but stammered out in a shaking, human voice: "M— Mary. P— please, _help_—"

"Not the girl's name," Judas said as forcefully as he could. "What is your name, demon? In the name of Jesus Christ, I command you—"

The girl began laughing, but it was _wrong_: it was a mature, sensuous, haughty laugh, a laugh that didn't sound like it could come out of the girl's body. "_Shall I tell you your name?_" she said, her voice completely different now. "_Judas?_"

Peter said, panicked: "Judas, the_ demon_—"

Without warning, the girl stood up and threw herself at Judas. Judas had no time to react and fell to the ground, wrestling with the girl for control. He finally pinned her to the ground, feeling like he wanted to vomit as well. "What do I do?" he asked Peter.

Peter was visibly shaking. "I— I don't—"

"Think of something! I can't hold her— it— like this forever!"

"_I'll tell you what you can do_," said the demon. The girl sneered, and even though it was clearly demonic, it made Judas want to run. "_Take your so-called King and His little band of pathetically misguided followers and leave me here in this filth's body. I've had better hosts, but she'll do_."

"L— let's take her to Jesus," Peter said, terrified. "Let's take her to Jesus and He can exorcise the demon out of her."

"How do we get her there? I can't drag her all the way through—"

"_Leave me here_," repeated the demon. "_It'll be so much easier. You know you both want to give up. This filth won't be missed, I can assure you_."

"I'm going to get Jesus!" Peter said, his voice higher than usual. "I'll be back!"

"You can't just leave me here to— no! Come back— _Peter!_"

But Peter was already running towards Nazareth, and the only thing Judas could do was hold the girl to the ground, fight to keep his sanity, and pray, more desperately than he had ever prayed before, that Peter would come back with Jesus.

Beneath him, the girl— but she wasn't a girl, was she? From the little Judas had been able to look at her, this Mary was a young woman, but very thin, and the rags she wore gave her a boyish figure. But now that she was pinned beneath him, he noticed not only her violent trembling and the sweat covering her skin in a fine sheen, but also the definitely-not-childlike curves on her slight body. Yes, he should probably not be thinking about such things, but given the choice between noticing her body and losing his mind… he preferred the latter didn't happen.

Mary (somehow) spoke instead of the demon. "Please, help me, I— I can't fight it—"

"We're doing the best we can," Judas said in what he hoped was a steady voice; he didn't know if it was, but it didn't matter, because Mary wouldn't be able to tell the difference in her state. "Just try to relax, the demon's going to be out of you soon—"

"_Oh really?_" It was astounding, really, how quickly the demon could take over. "_And you think that you, weak as you are, can ever hope to drive_ _me_ _out of this filth's body? I am the most powerful demon in all creation, I am second to Lucifer himself—_"

"I'm not going to exorcise you out," said Judas, and prayed that he was right. "And you're closer to filth than she is." Maybe, if the girl heard him defending her, maybe it would cause her to start to fight…

"_How dare you call me filth,_" the demon thundered out. Was it just this demon in particular, or were all demons prideful? "_Your pathetic human mind can't begin to ever comprehend what I'm capable of._" Judas was feeling exhausted, and Mary looked like she was about to give up. _God, please, let Peter and Jesus come back soon, please_—

"Judas!"

Judas had never been so relieved to hear Peter's voice in his entire life.

Peter, Jesus, and the rest of the disciples were approaching the hill, and for a brief moment, Mary seemed to gain control, and she began crying. Then the demon took full control and began fighting Judas to get away as Jesus came closer. Judas was nearly unable to hold Mary to the ground, so great was his exhaustion, and as soon as Jesus took Mary's arm, holding her in one place (the demon began screaming as soon as He touched Mary), Judas collapsed to the ground

The disciples watched as Jesus looked Mary (or the demon) directly in the eye, and commanded in a loud voice, "Begone, demon."

The demon shrieked, making Judas cringe, and after viciously shaking Mary's body, the air around them felt evil to the very core— and then it was over.

Mary collapsed and vomited, and once her body was done expelling the contents of her stomach, her tears turned to violent sobs. They died away, little by little, as her body shut down and turned her comatose; but in her last conscious moment, she reached for Jesus, attempting and failing to grasp His hand.

oOo

**Author's Note**: Hi everyone! Thank you all for your lovely reviews. It's good to know that some people beside me ship Judas/Mary; or tolerate it, at the very least.

I've noticed that many of you are wondering if this is a oneshot and/or if it will be continued. This short answer is that this is not a oneshot, and I am planning on continuing this.

The problem: I don't have this planned out. Like, at all. I got the inspiration, wrote a chapter and a half, and uploaded it before I considered, _hey, I should probably have a plan for this_. So unless I can beat this into submission, or figure out how to get a beta to _help_ me beat this into submission… the posting most likely will be sporadic. Sorry!


End file.
